Now, he's turning more attention toward technology and preparing students for a global economy.

Heavy book bags could be replaced by e-books and iPads over the next five years as part of a plan for Baltimore County's middle and high school students.

"Imagine our students arriving to school with digital devices equipped with their schedules, their books, their assignments and their calendars," Dance said.

Dance pitched his mostly high-tech education proposal to more than 1,000 people at a Baltimore County banquet hall, a good number of whom were local business leaders, but it's the students who already appear to be on board.

"Times are changing and we have to change with it, and as the rest of the world changes, our education has to change a little bit. There are definitely new ways to teach and new ways to get information across," said McCall Behringer, a student.

The superintendent said he also wants more students to graduate bilingual.

"Twenty-seven percent of companies surveyed -- that is getting close to one third -- say that they are more likely to hire someone who is multilingual, and the reports are when those individuals are multilingual, they earn about 10 percent more," Dance said.

"You could learn Spanish, Latin, pig Latin, whatever the language may be. If you learn it now, it could help you later," said Duvall Howard, a student who took a French course.

So, who's footing the bill for the school systems new proposals?

"Obviously, we are funded by our county and the state, but we are looking for private contributions. We are trying to be innovative," said School Board President Larry Schmidt.

That's where the Baltimore Education Foundation comes in. It's a group led by former principal Debbie Phelps.

"Solicitation of funds is one part of this foundation. You know, let's look a little bit deeper. It's the relationships we can build with businesses and corporations to be able to impact our children," she said.

School officials said one of their business partners picked up the tab for Thursday's event.